Profundiconus cf. teramachii (Kuroda, 1956)

Fig. 16C–H, M

Asprella (Endemoconus) teramachii Kuroda, 1956: 8, pl. 1 fig. 4.

Conus teramachii – R̂ckel et al. 1995b: 145, pl. 26 fig. 1.

Profundiconus teramachii – Tucker & Tenorio 2013: 391. — Monnier et al. 2018a: 137.

Material examined

2 lots (2 specimens). See Supp. file 1.

Type material

Holotype JAPAN • 115 mm; Tosa; ca 914 m depth; THTA.

Figured material

NEW CALEDONIA • 89.3 mm; Plateau des Chesterfield, off New Caledonia, stn CP364; 19º45′ S, 158º47′ E; 675 m depth; 19 Oct. 1986; MUSORSTOM 5 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 16C–D) • 72.4 mm; Vanuatu, off New Caledonia, stn CP992; 18º52′ S, 168º55′ E; 748‒775 m depth; 24 Sep. 1994; MUSORSTOM 8 expedition; MNHN (Fig. 16E–F) • 67.5 mm; Loyalty Islands (Fig. 16M).

Geographical distribution and bathymetry

Japan to Taiwan, Melanesia (Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands), N of New Zealand (Wanganella Bank, Raoul Island, Kiwi Seamount), Queensland, Coral Sea (Lansdowne Bank), Vanuatu, Fiji, typically at depths between 250 and 800 m. Some specimens collected by the Valdivia during the Deutsche Tiefsee-Expedition came from depths as great as 1134 m (R̂ckel et al. 1995b). The conspecificity of the populations from New Zealand (Marshall 1981) and New Caledonia, and possibly Fiji (Moolenbeek et al. 2008), with the nominal taxon is doubtful.

Remarks

Shell moderately large to large (it may attain lengths beyond 120 mm). Protoconch multispiral. The radular tooth of P. teramachii and P. cf. teramachii (Fig. 16M) is morphologically similar to that of P. puillandrei (Fig. 12M). Only two specimens of P. cf. teramachii were obtained, one from Plateau des Chesterfield (Fig. 16C–D), and another from off Vanuatu (Fig. 16E–F). These specimens exhibit a high, turriculated spire, with nodules crossed by several strong spiral cords, and are similar to specimens from Wanganella Bank in New Zealand (Fig. 16G–H). Many specimens of P. teramachii from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands (Fig.16B) and Taiwan (Fig. 16A) have been sequenced but no individuals from New Caledonia or New Zealand were present in the sample. After many years of sampling in deep water around New Caledonia, very few specimens of these teramachii -like individuals have been collected, indicative of the scarcity of this species in the surveyed areas. The conspecificity of the populations from New Caledonia and New Zealand with the taxon P. teramachii needs to be confirmed using DNA studies. Nodulose specimens of P. puillandrei (i.e., Fig. 12H) might be misidentified as P. cf. teramachii .